Automatic high and low water indicator for steam-boilers



- (No Model.)

B. COLLINS.

AUTOMATIC HIGH AND LOW WATERINDIGATOR FOR STEAM BOILERS. No. 271,794. vPatented Feb. 6, 1883.

WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BERNARD COLLINS, OE KENNERDELL, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC HIGH AND LOW WATER INDICATOR toe STEAM-BOlLEFiS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent 1Y0. 271,794, datedFebruary 6, 1853.

Application filed August 1,1sa2. (No model.)

To all whom it mag concern V Be it known that I, BERNARD CoLLINs, of

Kennerdell, in the county of Vena-ngo and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic High and LowWater Indicators for Steam- Boilers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing low water indicators for steam-boilers, the ohject being toprovide anindicator for boilers which will be simple an economical inconstruction and reliable in its operation, both as a high and low waterindicator.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is i an end elevation of a boilerprovided with one form of my attachment; and Fig. 2 is a similar view ofa boiler provided with a modified form of attachment.

A represents the boiler, having the steamdome B.

0 represents the upper, and D the lower, gage-pipe, each of which isprovided with a discharge-cock, c, at its upper end.

E represents a vertical steam-valve, mounted upon an elbow pipe, E,projecting from the steam-dome; and from the side of the valvecasing 6projects a pipe, F, suitably connected to a steam-whistle, G. A shortstandard,F, projects above the pipe F, and is slotted longitudinall y toreceive a horizontal lever, H, which is pivoted to the standard by apivot, h. The lever H is provided at about its center with adownwardly-projecting lug, h adapted to rest in a slot, h, in the headof the valve E. Both ends of the lever are perforated to receive wires II, the former being connected by means of an angular bracket or link, i,and adjusting nuts with the upper or high-water pipe, 0, of the boiler,while the wire I is connected by a similar bracket or link,j,andadjusting-nuts j with the upper end of't-he low-water pipe D. Thesebrackets or links 1' and j are of the peculiarconstruction shown,havingtheir main portions to; vertical and their ends as bent horizontally inoppositedirections. The upper ends of the links are then secured to thewires by the nuts 1 3', while their lower ends are se cured to the pipesO and D, as shown.

The operation of the'above-described device is as follows: The pipe 0 isnormally filled with steam and the pipe D with-water. If the water inthe boiler lowers to a point below the pipe D, the latter will at oncehe filled by steam, which will cause a. lengthwise expansion of thepipe, thus forcing upward the end of the lever H adjacent to thesteam-whistle. This will cause the opening of the valve E, when steamwill be admitted to the whistle, thus sounding the alarm. The reverse ofthis operation is efl'ected when the water rises above its proper levelin the boiler. In the latter instance-the pipe 0 receives water, whichwill cause a contraction of the pipe and a consequent depression of theadjacent end of the lever H, which opens the valve and admits steam tothe whistle.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2, Idispense with the pipe F, with itsstandardF, and combine the steam valve andwhistle. The latter is screwedinto the elbow-pipe E and has a vertical passage, through which thevalve E passes.

The lever H is arranged relative to the pipes O and D in. the samemanner as above'described, but the connecting-wires, instead of beingconnected rigidly to the lever and adjustably to the links 0' arerigidly pivoted to said links, and are connected to the lever by meansof perforated blocks J, which receive the ends of the wires, the latterbeing held and adjusted by nuts 2' j. These blocks are adapted to beadjusted horizontally on the lever H, to

adapt them to boilers of different sizes. The

lever H is supported by a bracket, K, secured to the stem g of thewhistle, said lever being pivoted to one side of the bra'cketby a pivot,g.

By the construction above described I obtain an indicator which iseffective and reliable in its operation, and which prevents equally anyoverflow or damage'by low water in the boiler.

It will be apparent that many slight changes in the form or constructionof the different parts of my improvement may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention, and hence I would have itunderstood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction shownand described,b'ut reserve to myself the right to make such changes inconstruction as properly fall withinthe scope of my invention.

IOC

I I am aware that the motion derived from the expansion and contractionof pipes, due to the a high-water contracting-pipe, a low-waterexpanding-pipe, a steam valve and whistle, and a lever connected byadjustable Wires and links to the said pipes, substantially as setforth.

2. An indicator for steamboilers, consisting of the combination, withthe high and low water pipes, of a steam-valve, a steam-whistle, and alever,the latter being pivoted above said valve and adapted to resttherein, and provided at each end with adjustable wires and angularlinks, whereby it is connected respectively with the said pipes,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

BERNARD ooLLINs.

Witnesses:

A. F. PERRINE, JOHN G. SrMooX.

